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Springtime Spaghetti CARBONARA
The very first dinner that I learned to make was Spaghetti Carbonara. I was10 years old and my Mom signed me up for cooking classes at a charming kitchenware store called “The Pantry” in downtown Kitchener. This dish is delicious yet super easy – essentially, raw eggs are tossed with hot, cooked spaghetti to create a creamy sauce. This recipe uses whole eggs although some cooks prefer to use the yolks only. When Spring arrives and asparagus is in abundance, I love to throw some in for a pop of colour and freshness. Not an asparagus fan? Substitute fresh peas or thinly sliced snow peas. METHOD < DANA S H O RT T Owner of Dana Shortt Gourmet & Gifts
INGREDIENTS 2 Tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil
1 cup
Diced pancetta
1 cup
Finely diced sweet onions
12
Asparagus, bottom third discarded and sliced into 2” pieces
2
Eggs
1 pkg
Dried spaghetti (454 grams or so)
2/3 cup
Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Salt
Kosher salt
Pepper
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Parsley
Chopped parsley, for garnishing
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. • Beat the eggs in a small bowl and set aside. • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until golden and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet onions and cook for another few minutes, until they begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the pancetta asparagus mixture from the pan and set aside (leave any remaining oil in the pan). • Cook the spaghetti “al dente” according the package directions and drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the drained spaghetti to the skillet with the olive oil, set over medium heat. Using tongs, toss the spaghetti with the olive oil until well coated. Add about ¼ cup of the cooking water to the skillet (if the bottom of the pan is too dry, the eggs will scramble them when you add them). • Remove the skillet from the heat and add the eggs. Quickly toss the pasta with the eggs until the eggs thicken and coat the pasta – continually toss so that the eggs don’t scramble. Add a little more cooking water if the sauce seems too thick. • Add in the reserved pancetta, sautéed onions, asparagus and parmesan cheese and season to taste with pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
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